Celebrating Easter 2012

 I feel as though we've had a lot happening the past three weeks!  

I haven't been as organized as I'd like to be in planning family activities to draw attention to the week leading into Easter, but we did manage a few crafts and activities to help the kids understand and celebrate Christ's death and resurrection!

For Palm Sunday, the kids and I colored some pictures of Jesus' triumphal entry, and then we traced our hands on different colors of green paper, glued them to a popsicle stick and used stickers to spell Hosanna.  Then we found some great songs, both new and old, on YouTube and Vimeo to dance to and sing Hosanna!

Our Palm Sunday palm

Then we spent some time decorating hard-boiled eggs.  

I thought it would be fun to try this idea for Volcano Eggs, but it was a bit of a bust.  

The kids enjoyed it, but the eggs turned out quite pale, and the fizzing of the reaction between the vinegar and baking soda was anti-climactic.  Jeremy did try reducing the amount of water in the dye & baking soda paste, which resulted in a more vibrant color, but it was more difficult to paint with...  

 We had a family dinner at my parent's on Friday... and then again on Monday!  

On Friday Grandpa had hidden some eggs around the first couple of rows 

of trees at the tree farm, and the kids had fun trying to find them.  

I admit, I did raid their candies and ate all the chocolate and almond eggs (super yum!).

On Sunday, Jer and I hid some eggs for the kids to find.  They weren't filled with chocolate.  Instead we used this Easter Egg Hunt idea that has a printable coloring book to go along with the eggs that the kids find.  I loved how it talks about Jesus from Christmas all the way through his life to Easter.  It was a great way to talk with our kids about the importance of Easter and why we celebrate it the way we do.  Aria has been busting out some really thought-provoking questions lately about God, and I have to remind myself that she's only looking for a simple answer, cuz she's only five!  Well, almost six.  While we were driving home during spring break she asked how we know that God is real (because kids at school were saying that He's not).  Its really neat to see the wheels turning in her head and heart as she is owning her faith!

End of November Already? E-book review of "Truth in the Tinsel"

It was my birthday on Wednesday, and one of the things I love about having a birthday at the end of November is that as soon as its done, I feel as though I have permission to start celebrating the Christmas season!  Now, I'm not a fake tree person, so I always wait a bit before I set up the tree and decorate it (otherwise it would be drier than the Okanagan in August by the time Christmas day actually comes around), but I do like to bust out the Christmas music, the Christmas baking and the Christmas boxes full of Christmas decor.  

This year I'm most excited about celebrating the advent season with my family.  I have very vivid and fond memories of exploring the season of advent with my family.  My mom, especially, always tried to help us stay focused on the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, rather than on the presents and festivities and programs.  One of the best resources my mom used to guide our times in exploring the true story of Christmas was a book from Focus on the Family (I'll include the title of this later, if I can figure it out!).

Buy Truth in the Tinsel here!

This year I'm really excited to use a resource that's brand new, an e-book by a bloggy friend from Atlanta, Amanda White called "Truth in the Tinsel".  First of all, can I say how much I love the title and design of the book?!!  I've never, ever read an e-book before, let alone reviewed one on my blog, and I can't be more thrilled than to share this book with you!  

In Amanda's own words, "This is an adventure for families to learn the story together. It’s an experience with the greatest story every written and the greatest gift ever given—God’s own Son, Jesus the Christ!"  This e-book guides families with preschool through early elementary aged children through the use of a "traditional" advent calendar.   

BUT... instead of getting a chocolate everyday (as if my kids need more candy!), they receive a clue,  

which leads them to the Bible, 

which leads them to creating a craft that highlights a truth about Christmas, 

which leads them to discovering the miracle of 

Jesus being born as a baby,  

which leads them to hearing about 

just how much  

God loves them! 

 

In the e-book Amanda lays everything out in a simple and accessible way from supply lists (based on supplies that most families already have laying around their homes), to abbreviated plans for busy families, to templates, discussion guides, extra activities and step by step instructions on how to create each ornament.  And I have to say, in looking through each day and what ornaments Amanda has suggested doing, I am super excited about some of them, as they are projects that were on my to-craft list for my kids and I!

Best of all, "Truth in the Tinsel" is only $4.99! 

Less than you'd spend on a grande white peppermint mocha, or a box of Christmas oranges!

Plus, if you purchase it on November 25, its only $2.99.

The little Baby is no longer in the manger but alive and sitting on a throne—waiting to have a relationship with you and your children. Help your children get to know Him this Christmas!  Amanda White, Truth in the Tinsel

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A Late Celebration of the Royal Wedding

As mentioned before, I was away at Orange Conference in Atlanta last week, and wasn't able to watch the wedding!  I wouldn't have been a die-hard like some out there, getting up at the crack of dawn to watch it live, but I would have liked to have sat down and watched a replay of it as a whole, rather than in the snippets that I was able to catch whenever we happened past a television.  Did you notice how it seemed to be on every single channel???  I was so encouraged to see the world stop and cheer on a marriage, in a time where divorce affects us all to some degree and it seems like the question we ask regarding the likelihood of a marriage lasting is not "if" but "when".  I know for my husband and I we have always said that "divorce" is not a word in our vocabulary.  It is not an option.  We made covenant promises to one another that I don't ever plan on breaking.  But, I digress...

So, on Monday, once I was safely home, we set up a tea party in the living room for Aria and Roscoe so that we could watch the Royal Wedding.  Aria made a fancy hat to wear.

Notice the glass slipper and jewelery taped to it?  And the big pink bow was a leftover from her birthday a couple weeks ago!

Roscoe lasted all of 10 minutes into the PVR recording of the wedding.

Here's something I wished I knew about before, so I could've made it for our tea party.  Prince William's favorite cake is a chocolate cookie cake.  Davison Orchards, a local attraction was offering it last weekend at their season opening, and they've kindly put the recipe on the their website.  I'm definitely going to have to try this recipe, especially if it is fit for a Royal Wedding!

Family Connect April 3-9

This month we're learning about HUMILITY—putting others first by giving up what you think you deserve.  I think this is such a fabulous virtue for April, as we're heading towards the Cross, and reflecting on who Jesus is and what he has done for us!  Our memory verse is, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3, NIV

 

This week we explored the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet in John 13:1-17, focusing on the bottom line that we should treat others like they’re more important than you.  My K/Gr 1 group LOVED getting their feet dirty, and then taking turns washing one another's feet.  It was a really great lesson that is a perfect launching point for parents to continue the learning at home!

Our idea for a family night this week is to have a family dinner party with a twist!  You can make it as simple or as fancy as you like (think dressing up silly, just for fun), the only rule is that you can’t serve yourself.  Someone else has to help seat you at the table, dish up for you, fill your water glass, and clear your dishes (but not their own), so that everyone is serving someone else within the family.

Take some time to brainstorm ways that you can serve other people in your community as a family (ex. Picking up garbage at the park, helping to clean up an elderly neighbor’s yard, planting flowers at the church, visiting shut-ins, making freezer meals, etc, etc).  Choose the best idea, and then do it!